Sunday, May 25, 2008 That Library is closing? POST A COMMENT Here's a novel idea: let's open a chain of store's it'll be like a big coffee shop with a lot of reading material... call it "Barnes and Noble" -- yeah, it seems that plan ain't working out so good. I know, I know...it's supposed to create a welcoming environment; but, if folks can sit all day and read, why would they buy that book afterwards? After some serious hurting, B & N now got a management team to study the "feasibility" of a possible Barnes & Noble-Border's combination...so, they can both go out of business together. Fact is less folks are reading books; the price is another thing, what's the incentive to pay $20 for the new paperbacks? Worse, B & N charging $25 "memberships" so we can save 10% on a book...I'd get that management team working on getting the next generation to slow down and read more, and actually enjoy reading more - (to ensure future customers). Main things effecting the book-slump is technology -- aside from gearing us all to move faster and get-it-now... how 'bout the fact that Barnes and Noble can't hold a candle to something like Amazon.com where you can find almost any single book I can think of, and always at prices cheaper than B&N. More so, since they added the ability to buy used books from other dealers through their website. What I'm reading: Mary Monroe's "In Sheep's Clothing" - okay, the book cover art sucks...but, it has a strong opening, with a likable female protagonist. I'll report back when I'm done reading it...'got any good books of note, drop me a line (leave a comment)...always looking for something new. Resource: CNBC News Labels: Books, In Sheeps Clothing, Mary Monroe, News Trends, novels, what I'm reading posted by Henry Cruz at 1:21 PM Thursday, April 17, 2008 Getting your hands dirty...online POST A COMMENT Talking Books Today, so here's a 'little known' interesting Fact: Did you know...Best Selling Sci-Fi Author Kurt Vonnegut once managed a SAAB dealership, go figure. I don't manage a dealership - (not yet at least - sounds like a "Dirty Job"), but, I have been writing a few hours each day, and apparently with all the bloggers who have gotten book deals....it's become sorta a trend to write your books online. Let me back up, I'm also reading this week, a really funny book, Christopher Moore's "A Dirty Job" - (because, we all know you need fuel for that creative fire, and the number one rule for writing: read, read read...hoping something sticks and good stuff comes back up). If you're out there writing novels a 'sudo' trend is doing a online collab, check this out: Calling all writers! The LA Times presents "Birds of Pardise." One of their writers, Steve Lopez wrote the first chapter, and he'll write the last. But the stuff in between is being written by the "readers" (and hopefully writers who can put two sentences together...all happening online) -- So, check it out here. It could be your big break on getting your work seen, and being the next Kurt Vonnegut (or the even funnier Christopher Moore)...speaking of writing, here's a short vid with George Lucas who talks about his own daily writing habits, sounds a lot like my own: Labels: novels, Trends, what I'm reading, writing posted by Henry Cruz at 2:03 PM     ARCHIVES October 2005 . November 2005 . December 2005 . August 2007 . September 2007 . October 2007 . November 2007 . December 2007 . March 2008 . April 2008 . May 2008 . June 2008 . July 2008 . August 2008 . September 2008 .